The analysis of small particles is often accomplished using microscopy. Through microscopy, the properties of individual particles can be observed and measured. Given the normally small number of particles actually analyzed relative to the number of particles in the bulk of the material being analyzed by microscopy, sampling methods and sample preparation are of utmost importance to the success of the method. It is recognized that the preparation of a slide containing a uniformly dispersed, representative sample is a particularly difficult problem, and the final result often depends more on the skill of the operator than the procedure itself. See, e.g., T., Allen, Particle Size Measurement (Chapman and Hall, 1990) pages 217-248. Methods include casting in a plastic-like material and immobilization in gelatin. There remains a need for improved particle mounting techniques.